Breast Cancer Now Forum

Today I had a permanent makeup tattoo done to give me back my missing nipple.  My scar is quite neat, horizontal across my breast and although it didn't bother me looking in the mirror and seeing the line across, tonight upon getting undressed to go to bed I noticed (even with cling film on it) how normal it makes me look. My treatment was carried out by a lovely lady called Faye Marie who donates this service to people who've had breast cancer.   I would thoroughly recommend this procedure to anyone.   I'm one happy lady 😀 ... View more

I had rads x15 in November following a WLE in September to remove my nipple due to Paget's disease.  It can be very daunting in the run up to starting the next step of your journey and we all have lots of questions and read about different people's experiences.   So here's a little run down of my experience that may help answer some questions.   My main concern was the marker tattoos.  Having already had surgery I was concerned about having black dots on my chest as another permanent reminder of what I had been through.  As it turned out the markers are so small I am unable to see them, much smaller than one of my many moles.   Even the rads team had trouble finding them until them became familiar with me.   I was given advice by a friend who had already been through radiotherapy to arrrange a rota of lifts each day, which basically removed the boring bit of the 1hr there and back can drive to the hospital each day.   I was initially thinking of driving myself but decided to accept people's offers of help and it was nice to catch up with friends/family and have something different to chat about each day.   I was asked if I required am/pm appointments and opted for pm so I could work up till 1pm and then if I was tired after treatment I could just go to bed if need be.   After surgery I purchased the bra crop tops from Asda for about £6 each so wore these or my normal underwire bra.   The only side effect I had was a slightly pink/tanned boob.   The tan line is gradually fading and almost unnoticeable now.   I was advised by my hospital it was ok to use normal role on deodorant and given epimimax cream which I applied twice a day.   I also made sure I drunk plenty of water and tried to keep my routine as normal as possible and keep positive, I'm sure this all helped.   I know that everyone's experience is different and often people write about the negative things associated with treatment but I feel that it's important that those of us who have positive experiences of this journey to  let others know that you can go through treatment and carry on with life as normal.   😀 ... View more

I had 15 zaps of radiotherapy in November following a WLE for Paget's disease in September.   I too had lots of questions after reading lots of  information.   My main concern was the marker tattoos.   I  felt that having already had surgery to remove my nipple that I didn't want a black dot in the middle of my chest as another reminder.  As it turned out the dot is so tiny that I can't even find it and actually during treatment some of the rads team had trouble finding it initially until they became familiar with me.  Not sure if they were extra delicate when doing it because I had expressed concerns.   A friend who had already gone through radiotherapy advised to get a rota of friends/family to take me each day - initially I was going to drive myself, but she said it was nice to have different people to chat to each day (I'm 1 hr away from my hospital).  It actually meant only asking 5 people to do one day for each week and when people are asking if there is anything they can do to help it makes sense not be afraid to take them up on their offers.  The trip to and from the hospital took loads longer than treatment itself.  From getting into the cubicle, having treatment  and getting changed again it took a max of about 13 min (I'm a bit sad in the fact that I timed it each day!)   My hospital (Taunton) provided Epimax cream, which I put on twice a day and I was advised that I was able to use regular roll on deodorant.   I was asked if I preferred am/pm sessions for rads so opted for pm so I could still work up until 1pm each day.  I'm self employed as a Childminder so was able to keep my morning routine relatively normal.   I made sure that I drunk plenty of water and didn't suffer from any tiredness.  I used little crop top slightly padded bras from Asda, I think they were £6 each or my normal underwired bra.   My treated boob had a definite sun tan look about it but that was the only side effect.  The tanning is now only slightly visible to me but others only notice once I've pointed it out.    I think keeping positive and keeping my normal routine going helped but everyone reacts differently so there is definitive answer as to how it will affect each individual.    There are lots of threads about things when they have not gone well, which just makes us worry that this or that might happen but I feel that it's equally important to for us to put down comments of positive experiences so that people just starting out on their journey of treatment can see that it is possible to go through the treatment and be completely well. 😀     ... View more

I'll look for the BCC DVD as I wasn't given any advice about specific excercises.   I don't have any tattoos apart from the radiotherapy dots - mine are so small I can't even find them.   So another new experience! x ... View more

Optimissy64   I'm doing really well thanks, my scar has healed nicely and   I'm now looking forward to having a permanent makeup tattoo done to replace my missing nipple (I had Paget's disease).   I have an appointment in May with a lovely lady who carries out  this procedure for free for people who've had breast cancer.  I have a  slight ache/stiffness occasionally in my treated breast but think this is to do with the nerves so am doing some stretching exercises to see if it improves.   Hope you are well x  ... View more

I know how you feel.  When I got diagnosed July 2016 I only told immediate family and a couple of close friends.   I found their reactions harder to deal with than the diagnosis itself and several times wished that I'd not actually told anyone.   People find the word Cancer very hard to process and certain generations associate it with a death sentence.   Since my treatment  (WLE followed by 15 doses of radiotherapy) I've started to tell a few more people as I feel that people need to know that you can have breast cancer, get through treatment and be well.  People shouldn't assume that because you've had breast cancer you are ill and those of us who have had positive outcomes of this disease need to share their  experience too, otherwise we only ever hear of people who are extremely ill and unfortunately pass away.   You only have to read the "just diagnosed" threads on this forum to see how people react to the words You Have Breast Cancer.   x ... View more

  Evening everyone.    I don't often write on here because I actually feel that I've had a lucky escape from a potentially nasty diagnosis and feel that everyone else seems to have things loads worse than me. I do check in every now again but feel that it's important to share a positive view of breast cancer. I was diagnosed with Paget's disease at the end of July 2016.  After MRI scan it was confirmed that Paget's was superficial and just in the skin.   I was booked in for WLE on 5th September.  I initially thought that I should have a right mastectomy with immediate reconstruction which would have meant I didn't have to have radiotherapy.   My surgeon actually advised me this was not necessary and that he felt they should not be removing healthy breast tissue unnecessarily, so I decided to stick with initial advice and go with WLE and 15 doses of radiotherapy.   Day surgery went well and  I recovered quickly and was back to normal routines almost immediately.   2 weeks later I was given the news that surgery had been a success and my surgeon would see me in a years time.  Radiotherapy started about 3 weeks later. My hospital is an hour away so I arranged a rota of friends to take me each day, which was good excuse  to have a good chat each day on an otherwise boring drive.   I also seemed to sail through the radiotherapy with no side effects.   6 months on and when I wake in the morning I have a slight dull ache in my treated breast and it is still slightly tanned.  I have an appointment to have a nipple created  by a lovely lady who does permanent makeup tattooing and offers this service free to breast cancer survivors.    Hopefully for me it's onwards and upwards for me but big love to everyone else who is dealing with breast cancer x  ... View more

Sar54 - I've just read your post and interestingly I have slightly darkened area in armpit.   I wasn't sure if it was where I didn't put cream and that's why it was looking darker but apart from that feeling fine. Hope you are ok too.   I think I will go to the moving on clinic in January so hopefully will see you there.  ... View more

Well that's me done. I've finished being zapped. 15 sessions all finished with no side effects apart from a slightly pink boob but nothing to worry about. For me it's been a positive experience but glad it's all over and done with - I can't praise the team at Musgrove Hospital enough but do hope I don't ever have to see them again 😀 For anyone just starting good luck, it's not as bad as you might imagine and the times goes quickly once you get into the routine - don't take too much notice of "Google" as a lot of it is very inaccurate! Remember we are all individuals and react to things differently - keep positive, drink plenty of water and moisturise loads. Much love to everyone ❤️ ... View more

Cla46 I'm 2.15 tomorrow and Thursday and 11 on Friday which is my last one.  x   ... View more

Wahoo 10 of 15 done!  😀 This time next week it will all be over.   Sar54 it was lovely talking to you today, sorry our chat was interrupted by me getting called in,  it was nice to speak to someone with the same sort of thoughts as me x  ... View more

Number 8 for me today and second day in a row I got in slightly earlier than my appointment 😀 Feeling good with no side effects and knowing that I've had more zaps than I have left to do is even better.   ... View more

Sar54 - my appointment was 2.30 but I went in about 2.25, you went in after me.  I'm 1.55 tomorrow x ... View more

This sounds like some sort of dating site 😂 I have long dark hair and was wearing black jumper. My apppointments are 2.30 the rest of the week and 2.15 on Friday.  After a couple of days the routine seems normal and you'll get speedy at the online check-in.   Good luck for the rest of the week x  ... View more

Cla46 - glad your first one went well.   This sounds a bit weird but I think you may have been going into the department and held the door open for me as I left - was that you?   ... View more

cla46 - glad info was helpful.   What time is your appointment?  Sarah x ... View more

Well 5 of 15 done with no side effects. 😀 Nice to briefly meet you yesterday Sar54 - maybe I'll see you next week, appointments are all around 2.30pm. For anyone about to start, this info may be of help to give you an idea of what it's like: it's not painful you just have to lie still,  from when I go into the changing room to when I've finished putting my clothes back on range from 12 mins - 24 minutes.   It seems a very efficient system literally one in one out and so far my appointments have all run on time.  The staff are all lovely, kind and caring.   Perhaps this isn't everyone's experience but it would have done me good to read some positive things about the whole experience, rather than to just read about the bad things, so I hope that these comments may help to put any newbies minds at rest.  x  ... View more

Sue C - I was actually quite concerned about the tattoo thing, not afraid of needles, just didn't want extra reminders of what I'd been through.  I mentioned this a couple of times and actually my tattoos are tiny, even smaller than a small mole or freckle,  I thought they had disappeared as they are so small and it didnt hurt at all.  I had zap 4 of 15 today, no side effects so far, hoping it will stay that way. x ... View more

Sar54 I went in at 2.35 -  my parents were today's chauffeurs so I'm hoping it wasn't my dad that you had to climb over!    I was sat on the left, my parents were on the back wall with another man and then maybe it was you that came and sat in the corner?  I'm 2.35 tomorrow then 2.55 Friday.   Ginger not specific for radiotherapy but it does have good healing properties.    Sarah  ... View more